Idea Lab Educator

OUR MISSION 

At Milken Community School, we think education is more than what you know. Our School, founded on Jewish values, is about who our children can become and how they can help others become who they might be. Because the world our children will create tomorrow is born in the School we build today, our mission is to educate our children so they can surpass us.

POSITION OVERVIEW 

The Idea Lab Educator is a full-time teacher reporting to the Innovation and Fabrication Integration Instructional Leader. The Idea Lab Educator supports curriculum, instruction, and programming centered in the Idea Lab and works with the Instructional Leader to ensure that the vision and goals of this space are clearly articulated and align with the mission of the school. The ideal candidate is comfortable working in a highly collaborative environment where value is placed on the skills and passions of each educator within a larger context of school mission and integrative thinking. 

The Idea Lab has a Trotec laser cutter/engraver, Ultimaker 3d printers, a Carvey CNC router, a Roland large format printer, a Roland vinyl cutter, and a small fleet of laptops, in addition to Arduino and other electronics. We use Inkscape software, Tinkercad, OnShape and Easel. 

Primary responsibilities include teaching software and hardware, outreach to teachers, designing projects that can be integrated into core subjects, assisting students and teachers with projects, maintaining Idea Lab equipment, and being a host to the many people who visit our Idea Lab.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Teach the use of all hardware and requisite software in the Idea Lab to students and teachers, including safety protocols.
• Maintain the equipment and teach basic maintenance of the equipment to students.
• Support individual student projects by teaching design thinking, software, hardware and coding.
• Model best practices in innovative and collaborative use of the Idea Lab.
• Pursue ongoing professional development in the fields of fabrication, pedagogy, and technology. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in related field (master’s degree preferred) with some related technical experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work in a team-based environment, demonstrating flexibility, initiative, and collegiality.
• Experience in project based learning and assessment, including rubric creation.
• Experience and understanding of how fabrication and coding can be an asset for all disciplines, including humanities, the arts, and sciences.
• Experience in FTC and/or FRC robotics preferred.
• Experience with fabrication equipment and CAD/CAM applications preferred.
• Previous teaching experience required, middle-school level experience preferred.